This is supposed to be a practical book for artists that would help them slowly get rid of the image of the starving artist. The advice is good (not great or very deep), it's applicable on the American market and the economy described here with its practices is for this specific market.

I'm glad to see such resources for artists, mainly because I know that many of them lack this practical side of the business and they wish they were taught this in school. Well, it's a start, I guess, but I don't think it was necessarily an inspiring book for artistic minds.

Such an important book!! Ideal for anyone self employed, trying to support themselves as an artist/ in creative careers.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this book in exchange for my feedback.

There are many useful tips and advice within this title, especially for those who have just started their artistic journey.

Introductory book for artists on how to make money from their art.
Particularly relevant during the current Covid crisis when things are tough for everyone in all area of the arts.
Good advice on the practicalities for many types of entrepreneurs.
Selling and marketing your product.
Writing a business plan.
How to get paid plus some of the more technical/regulatory details for anyone starting out.
Recommended.
4 Stars

Unfortunately it turns out to be your standard "how-to" business book. There's nothing really new or groundbreaking in here that I didn't know already.
I guess it could be for absolute beginners without any background in business.

This book is coming out at a time in which many of us who are working artists are seeing the institutions which have supported and/or employed us in the past fall apart in the face of COVID-19. Many of us are rethinking our dependency upon those organizations and reimagining what a world would look like in which we might be compensated equitably for our art.

John Endris lays out strategies and explains terminology which will help achieve that goal. He demystifies the math of calculating how to make one's art profitable and offers tips and templates for things like writing a business plan for your art career. He's got examples that apply to all different disciplines--painters, illustrators, writers, musicians, performers/actors, etc.

Unfortunately for me, a theatrical costumer, I'm not sure much of what he lays out is applicable to the collaborative art of theatre. We can all disperse into our correlating disciplines--set carpenters can work for contractors, stitchers can do bridal alterations or sewn product manufacture, electricians can find work in the commercial sphere--but I'm not sure applying the advice in this book works for groups like a theatre company. But, that's my problem and doesn't reflect poorly on the book. And, the book is useful for artists that need to pivot into something like selling on Etsy or similar.

I'll recommend this book to my MFA students, particularly those graduating in the midst of this economic crisis. Many of them do start their own businesses and this is a great reference specific to launching an artistic business.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a good introductory quick read that gives you the basics of starting your own art business, whichever kind it may be. It gives you a great framework to get you started, thinking and start planning.

I come from an administrative background and I have taken classes in business in regards to art, so some information was not necessarily new to me. However, if you haven't had much experience with the business side this is a great introduction.

I learned a few new tricks, lots of good information and refreshers, not just for starting a business, but also life.

I would be interested in Part 2 of this book with more in depth insight in how to maintain a growing business and overcome hurdles.

Recommended. Thank you NetGalley.

I loved the ethos and sentiment of this, but the actual book felt a bit bloated and random in terms of what it focused on, A real shame, as it could have been super useful, but fell a little short for me.

For those who think art and business don't mix this book is fairly persuasive on reminding any artist, whether musician, performer, graphic or fine artists that this just isn't so. Artists are willing to leave their comfort zones so are entrepreneurs, the book argues, do are entrepreneurs.

The successful artists that do have enough acumen can a) avoid having their ideas unscrupulously appropriated by those that do,b) are less likely to be exploited by galleries, c) don't get shafted by the tax authorities and d) don't get their work towed to the tip and scrapped after they die.

The book gives some hints on how to set up the right kind of small business according to individual needs, and to deal with the tax authorities.

My only quibble is that the book only covers the American tax system, there is little advice for those who may operate via more than one country, or who may work with printers overseas. There are some broad hints on how to market, though not do much about how to navigate social media in this contactless new world.

If nothing else the book is a good reminder for those who wish to be one more professionally minded when operating as an artist. At least the entrepreneurial approach involves mastering a set of skills that can be refined and processed, then to rely more on merit than on other, more snobby criteria.